Coexist
by IfYouWish
Summary: In a world where humans are technologically advanced, a couple leaves for their first vacation since the birth of their son, who was just two years old. But following a technical incident, the spaceship crashes on an abandoned planet. The only survivor, the child is found by something almost human, but not quite. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay I love Mana and Allen. Like ... I'm totally in love with them. And I read like all the possible fanfics about them in the fandom so ... I thought "I never see a fanfiction with aliens in this fandom." So I decided to write one. Yes , you read well , aliens with D Gray Man.**

 **Anyway , enjoy ~**

 **( English is not my first language so I'm very sorry if you find any mistakes ).**

* * *

The universe was vast, very vast. Dotted with innumerable solar systems, themselves composed of different planets where life flowed slowly. The differents species were stranger than each others and populated the lands, whether forest or arid. Humans were part of it. They were technologically advanced and often thought themselves above all else superior to any other creature. Yet, even after thousands of years of evolution, nothing had really changed. After all, as evolved as they were, they were still animals.

In space in a cloud of smoke, a struggling spaceship was looking for a place to land. On board, three passengers, a couple and their young son, are on vacation for the first time since his birth. Inside the spacecraft, the little red haired boy tied to the passenger seat, watched the whole scene unfold beneath his innocent eyes.

The dashboard buttons flashed a red light, announcing an imminent problem. At the controls, his father panicked by the situation shouted to his wife words, incomprehensible to the child.

A-847 was in sight. Planet known for its hot and humid climate, its lush jungle and its white sand beaches, it was today abandoned … It wasn't the best place to land, but they had no choice.

In order to straighten the ship, the sweaty man fought with the rudder to keep the ship in the axis of the planet. The trembling woman pressed a few buttons according to her husband's strict instructions, who tilted the end of the ship slightly to line up as best as possible and start the emergency landing. Once in the atmosphere, the ship trembled as it crossed the turbulence zone. Under pressure, the pilot suddenly lost control of the spaceship, which began to dive to the ground.

Suddenly, a big shock crossed the ship and the siren began to scream, indicating a much more serious problem. The ship began to fall on the right side, the reactors no longer responding.

Too young to understand the situation, the boy looked at his mother in tears, who's screaming something to his father. The cries of panic from his parents were the last thing he heard before another big tremor seized the ship, the seat belt taking his breath away.

He lost consciousness ...

Black.

* * *

When he woke up, the boy blinked, slowly getting used to the dim light. Lying on a cold metal plate, he licked his lips, trying to get rid of the bitter taste of his mouth. He turned around and instinctively tried to get up before feeling a sharp pain in his right leg. He winced and grabbed his ankle for felt something hot on his hand. He slowly watched his little leg and saw a cut below the knee. A red liquid escaped.

Too young to know what to do, he took refuge under the dashboard, frightened by the pain in his injured leg. In the darkness, he curled up and began to cry. Warm tears ran down his cheeks, then he gently called his missing parents. The thick black smoke filling the ship's carcass made his breathing harder and harder.

'Clang'

A metallic noise suddenly caught his attention. He looked up, using a sleeve to wipe his wet eyes.

At the end of the corridor, a tall slender figure appeared and walked slowly in his direction. The child looked at the approaching shadow, hiding under the dashboard hoping to go unnoticed. The figure passed by him, ignoring his presence in the almost total darkness of the ship. Unfortunately , he sneezed.

The shadow stopped, turning in his direction to determine the origin of the sound. As he cautiously approached him, the massive figure was revealed to the child emerging from the shadows and the smoke.

The little boy froze. The creature before him was different from all he had known in his young life. The beast had a smooth skin, a dark gray color all over the body. A long, thin, slightly tail swayed to one side. He had hind legs like an animal and very human hands, each with five sharp black claws. His powerful musculature gave him an imposing figure and long black hair fell on his face and back, covering his shoulder blades, and finally large gold eyes staring him intently.

The curious little boy watched this new creature with fascinated eyes. Then he got up painfully, his right leg trembling, before taking a hesitant step towards the beast. The huge humanoid creature sat up suspicious at first, looking at him, squinting. Finally identifying no threat from the small human before him, the beast relaxed and slowly approached the head with curiosity.

Unconscious of the potential danger, the little boy uttered incomprehensibles words laughing and stretched his chubby little hands to catch the nose of the beast, who, surprise, backed suddenly. The boy losing his grip fell backwards, he winced before hearing a giggle-like sound. He turned his head towards the creature who seemed to smile at him, revealing his sharp teeth, before feeling two strong arms catch him by the waist and lift him up into the air. Finding himself in the arms of the unknown beast, the boy laughed and grabbed the strands of black hair of the native. The creature chuckled softly and held out his muscular arms to hold the little human in front of him. " _You're a little wild, aren't you?_ " The boy stared at him in awe at this strange and incomprehensible language. His face lit up, however, and pointed a finger at the creature. "Talk, talk!" The beast smiles softly at the child before taking long minutes of reflection.

The native wondered " _How did you get here?_ " he finally said running his finger around the little boy's face. Expecting no answer from the child, the creature continued. " _A weak little thing like you should have parents... No?_ " He said as he watched the surroundings of the spaceship in a sorry state. The metal carcass was nothing more than debris, the ripped cables hung from the ceiling, the broken windows littered the ground, and the smell of fuel slowly permeated the ship. The structure as a whole threatened to give way and collapse at any moment.

The little boy, who didn't understand a word of the native's language or the situation in which he was, continued to laugh as he tried to catch the long black hair. The beast sighed an umpteenth time before observing the strange child with red hair in his arms. Suddenly the creature noticed the wound. " _Blood ... You're hurt ..._ " The big beast whispered, staring at the cut for a long moment and wincing. It wasn't nice to see, if the wound was not treated as soon as possible it would become infected.

"Booboo!" The little boy shouted as he pointed at him. The beast frowned slightly at being called by such a strange nickname. " _No, no, Mana, my name is Mana._ " The boy was still looking at him with confusion. Then the creature sighed and put a hand on his chest clearly spelled. "Ma-na." The boy laughed and extended his little hands to him "Ma ... Man Man!" He repeated, trying to imitate the great creature. Mana, accepting the nickname, grinning revealing his teeth, then put his head against the little boy's in a gesture of affection.

Suddenly the creature raised its head in alert. The thick smoke and pungent smell attacked his nostrils. Sensing the danger of staying in this place longer, Mana hugged the boy tightly, then pulled himself out of the ship through a hole in the cabin, and quickly left the smoking carcass to enter the dense forest.

Arrived safely on his territory, he slalomed nimbly between the trees, the boy against his chest. After a moment, Mana stopped in front of a steep cliff at the top of which could be seen a cavern. He readjusted his grip on the little boy, who gripped his neck. Then he started climbing the cliff towards the cave higher up. The climb was difficult, looking for holds, its members in constant tension. Meanwhile, the child observed, confident, the long tail of Mana swinging under them at a height of several meters.

Once at the top, it was almost dark night.

Mana placed the child at his feet at the bottom of the cave on a bed of dry grass and furs. He sat down beside him, seeing him watching the cave with his shining eyes. He let him explore whatching him carefully from the corner of his eye.

His habitat was rather spacious, with some roughly carved wood furniture resembling more like raw wood rather than planks. The tools , other animal skins and hunting trophies were hung and spread against the stone wall. The remains of a fire littered the ground a little further.

Mana turned to look for something to cure the boy's wound. Turning back a few minutes later his eyes widened as the boy stretched out his arms, trying to catch the hunting blades on the small wooden table. "Oh _, no no no, don't touch that!_ " He quickly grabbed the ginger-haired boy by the waist to keep him away from danger. Mana looked at the cutting blades for a moment before turning his attention to the young child in his arms. " _It looks like I have to do some storage. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself because of me._ " The boy stared at him incredulously with his sparkling gray eyes before giving him an incomprehensible gibberish.

The beast blew. " _Ah, it's not like you understand me huh?_ "

He contemplated the child and decreed. " _You need a name._ " Gold and gray eyes crossed making contact. " _I'm going to call you... Allen !_ " He said triumphantly with a smile.

He lifted the boy, before carrying him to the dry grass bed. Laying it on the improvised mattress, he grabbed the previously prepared ointment and started to apply it to the wound. But Allen squirmed preventing him from doing his job properly.

" _I know it hurts, but please stop moving !_ " The beast got impatient.

After successfully applying the ointment, Mana took a stick and long leaves and then gently wrapped the boy's leg, knotting the leaves with the piece of wood to keep everything in place.

Once the bandage was finished he wrapped himself around the child in a protective manner. His back between the little boy and the entrance to the cave, he let the warmth of his body warm his new protégé like a blanket. He watched Allen yawn and curl up against his chest. As he fell asleep, the creature gently caressed his hair, murmuring.

" _Good night Allen._ "

* * *

 **Okay I don't know if I will continue this but I hope you enjoy it !**


	2. Chapter 2

**Happy New Year !**

 **So I decided to continue the story. So here is my new year's gift :)**

 **Thanks again to Tenshi7Nalata and Elogan for their review** **, you two really motived me ^^**

 **( English is not my first language so I'm very sorry if you find any mistakes ! )**

 **Enjoy ~**

* * *

The next morning, Mana awoke by the feeling of Allen moving in his arms. He opened one eye and looked at the little boy, watching him stretch and slowly rubbing his eyes. The still tired creature didn't move, closing his eyes while pretending to sleep.

The red-haired boy now awake, moved energetically from the beast's arms. Mana groaned with discomfort as the boy pushed his grip away. The boy got up with difficulty on his two little legs, his right leg still shaking from his wound the night before, leaving the heat of Mana's body to begin his further exploration of the cave.

He took a few hesitant steps in the cavern very simply decorated.

By observing more carefully, only a few objects were strewed on the ground. And apart a few stones and other small sticks the cave of the child's adoptive father was relatively clean. The little boy patted on the simple furniture of raw wood getting acquainted with his new environment.

Seeking something for playing, Allen's eyes stopped on a pile of furs heaped at the bottom of the stone floor. With interest he approached and ran his fingers over the soft fur, laughing of the pleasant sensation.

The species to which Mana belonged wasn't as evolved as human beings. Advanced technology is unknown for a species still at a primitive stage and living rather simply. But the creature was no less intelligent, cunning, and thinking. The wooden tools and other decorated and carved stone weapons testified to this.

Once tired of furs. The little boy continued his exploration on the opposite side of the still dark cave discovering a pile of bones exposed in the shady corner. The creature used to keep the skulls and other long bones of its prey once cleaned.

Allen got closer to one of the skulls that came from a small animal and took it in his chubby hands, turning it over to inspect it, running his fingers against the raw bone cleaned of all flesh. Amused by this strange object, the boy laughed softly and began to play with the skull, making somes grimaces on a small scenario of his imagination.

Mana listening to the boy's strange noises, yawned and finally opened his eyes to find Allen, kneeling in the cave, playing with the bones of his old hunting trophies.

The half-asleep beast straightened up his numb body, stretching, before raising his head, sniffing the moisture still in the air. It was early. Dawn had just risen and it was still dark inside the cave, the faint light of the sun penetrating slowly. A slight white haze embraced tree branches that seemed unreal.

Seeing his guardian awake, the boy's face lit up with a big smile.

"Man Man !" Exclaimed the child, who put down the small bone with which he was playing to running toward the beast.

Still tired Mana shook his head before feeling two small arms hug his leg. He looked down to see his protégé hug him. Amused, he wrapped his arms around the boy's little body, hoisting him on his lap, then smiled at him.

" _Hello Allen._ " He let the boy lean against his chest as he kissed the child's head. " _I hope you slept well_."

In response, the little boy held out his little hands towards him again trying to catch the long black hair.

After another kiss, Mana turned his head to see Allen's little improvised bone toys. " _What did you find ?_ " Asked the creature to the child. The young child move away for a moment, looking for the little skull to show his discovery to the native.

"Grrrr!" He said pointing the pointed canines of the skeleton's head to his guardian.

Mana laughed, a broad smile forming on his face. " _Yes, he has big teeth._ " He complimented the boy, amused by the child's actions.

Before starting the day, he grabbed and turned the boy on his stomach to check his bandage, which seemed to have resisted well at this first night. " _Your leg looks better, it's a good thing._ "

Mana changed the bandage again by applying the ointment. The new one finished, he put the kid on the stone floor, then turned away from the child to go further into the cave to look for a piece of wood and long dry grass. He made his way to the small fire pit, but felt a weight attached to his tail. He turned around and saw Allen pull on his tail to get his attention.

" _Mmh, what do you want ?_ "

The little boy looked at him nervously before saying something, gesturing to his stomach while opening his mouth. Mana watched all the incomprehensible facial expression, trying to decipher the signs of the young child before a gurgling noise was heard.

The beast raised his eyebrows and chuckled. " _Oh I know, you must be hungry, isn't it ?_ " The boy continued to tap his little belly looking at the native. " _Okay, okay, I understand._ "

The creature thinks, what could a little human eat ? Allen must be old enough to eat solid foods other than breast milk. He might be able to eat fruits or vegetables or even meat like him.

Deciding to go outside get something to feed the child, he doubted for a moment to take the boy with him. Thinking that the safety of the cave was perhaps better for the human ... But the little boy couldn't stay alone in the cave. At his age, all the children were very curious and could easily do silly things. Alone, Allen could get hurt or even worse fell off the cliff. He finally decided to take the boy with him. He grabbed the child then left the cave carefully descending the steep wall with the boy perched on his strong shoulders.

Once downstairs, Mana moved Allen against his chest, holding him tight, then uttered a loud growl to signal his presence to any predators that might be nearby. Knowing that his smell alone would keep the carnivores away, he finally entered the dense forest, but remained cautious.

In the undergrowth the branches of the trees swayed with the wind that rustled the leaves and various exotic plants dotting the soil. The earth was wet and the green grass was dancing with the breeze.

Unlike the Earth this planet had much longer seasons. It was summer and the warmth of the sun warming the ground allowed life to grow and evolve in this fertile land. The humid climate prevailed in summer, tinted all the vegetation in a deep green color.

The rain was often present, the days of sun like this one being rare. Mana stepped into the lush jungle, mading his way through the rocks and bushes, the chirping of the birds echoing through the forest around them.

Amazed by this new environment, Allen was pointing in all directions, trying to show the beast all these new things, which amused his wearer who wore a cheerful smile.

Deciding to let the child explore under his watching, Mana gently placed the little boy on the wet forest floor, letting him stretch his legs. He let Allen explore nearby, never letting him go too far. The child went to caress the foliage of the bushes having fun to tear small handfuls of leaves of the poor branches.

Finally, Mana pushed Allen slightly forward, urging him to walk deeper into the forest. The beast opened the step in the dense undergrowth, the boy trotting behind him. They sometimes stopped when Allen found it fun to walk in puddles or try to catch insects.

Mana stopped when a sound in the grass caught his attention. He looked closely at a kind of little white rabbit but with horns, jumped from a thicket right in front of them.

The creature too small to actually provide him with a substantial meal, he made no move to attack it.

The boy with the red hair, curious, observed this new creature with wondering eyes. He pointed at her, trying to show it to his guardian, then left Mana's side and started to get closer to the rabbit. The beast let the child do it, knowing that the wild animal was no danger to his little human.

Allen slowly moved closer and then reached out to touch the animal. Suddenly, the rabbit quickly jumped into the dense vegetation out of reach of the child and Allen, surprised by the sudden movement, stumbled and fell backward.

The creature burst out laughing as the little boy tried to get up with difficulty. He helped him to get up then and continued his way further into the woods, the little boy next behind him.

After a few minutes walking, Mana found a tree with yellow fruits. Deciding to try feeding his child with the edible food, he left Allen at the foot of the trunk and began his ascent. Allen watched as Mana climbed the tree with agility, his claws sinking into the bark rising effortlessly. He arrived quickly at the top, his weight cracking the thin branches that bent under his weight. He stretched out his arms, picking some round, fruit, before going down again, dropping easily to his feet.

He placed the few fruits next to the child and then took one in his clawed hands to begin peeling it, removing the smooth skin to reveal the juicy and tender flesh. Finally he used his claws, cutting the fruit in thin slices so that the little boy could eat them easily.

Mana, proud of his work, offered the slices of fruit to Allen putting one of the slices in his little hands.

The little boy observed the strange fruit given by the beast, running his fingers over the smooth skin before chewing it to taste it.

He watched Allen quickly swallow the first fruit easily, and once finished reaching out his hands toward him demanding more. He gave him a second one that was swallowed just as quickly.

" _Gently, don't choke yourself ..._ " Mana murmured.

The beast concludes that the fruits could be added to Allen's diet.

From there, he took the boy in his arms and sniffed at him before frowning. The native scowled at the strong odor of the human.

" _You need a bath._ "

* * *

After eating the sun was high in the sky, the beast brought them to their next destination, a small river.

Arriving on the shore, Mana sniffed the muddy ground lined with prints of wild animals that had come to drink.

The beast walked slowly, making sure no creatures were nearby. Once his patrol was over, Mana checked the temperature of the water, making sure the it wasn't too cold, placing the boy in the shallower part of the little stream.

Letting Allen play in the river, the creature dragged itself on the edge watching the boy splash all around him.

Mana scrutinized the surroundings with suspicion. The water points were landmarks for predators it was always necessary to be careful not to be caught by surprise. The beast was cautious, never letting Allen go more than a few feet away from him.

"Oh !" He turned his attention to Allen, who was screaming incomprehensible words. The little boy trotted toward him, bringing back some small colored pebbles placing them in his hand, looking at him with his shining gray eyes. "For you !" He said excitedly.

Mana embarrassed, blushed, not knowing what to do with small stones and answered. " _Well thank you..._ " Satisfied, the boy went back into the water. The creature sighed, and relaxed, lying comfortably.

Relaxing in the sun, the native watched his adopted son play lazily. The sun was turning with the passing hours. While he was drowsing, Mana's fine sense of smell, smelled a close animal.

Suddenly, a crackle was heard, something stirring in the bushes along the edge of the forest. Mana stood up, alert, his muscles tense, listening intently. His acute senses alerting him to a danger, he grunted and without hesitation rushed into the bushes leaping on the hidden creature, the two bodies bumping into each other with a brief snap.

Just as quickly, shrill yelp echoed in the jungle. Grunts and howls of pain followed, the thudding sounds of crackling bones.

Allen, frozen, stopped playing in the water, listening attentively to the battle.

And as quickly as it happened everything stopped. A groan, long and almost inaudible finally resounding in the silent jungle that now had a heavy atmosphere. No more noise could be heard, not even a bird.

The boy leaned over the thorn bushes trying to see something before swallowing and calling softly. "Man ?"

Mana reappeared quickly through the branches dragging something behind him in his right hand. He lifted the corpse by one of the hind legs pulling it out of the tall grass and then dropped the now dead animal, licking his fingers with a blue tongue to clean the flowing black blood.

Mana was a carnivorous creature with powerful musculature, teeth and sharp claws. The other animal barely half his size had no chance.

Pleased with the return of his guardian, Allen smiles, rushing to catch the creature's leg in a hug.

"Man !"

Mana smiled at the child before patting the child's red hair.

Leaning to one side, Allen watched the dead creature.

The animal resembled a kind of light blue canine but with six legs, sharp fangs protruding from the mouth and each limb provided with sharp claws. The fur was pierced in places exposing the flesh where Mana had scratched and bitten. Finally the black blood flowed from the wounds slowly staining the ground in a small puddle under the flaccid body.

Even dead he was scary.

Allen tightened his hold on the leg between his arms to comfort himself, letting out a frightened whine.

"Scawy."

"Scawy ?" Mana repeated before understanding the meaning of the word. " _Oh, you were scared, are you ?_ "

He hoisted the little boy in his arms whispering softly. " _You don't have to be afraid, I'm here._ " He gently squeezed his long arms around the abdomen of the child, kissing him on the cheek.

As the sun waned, they made their way back to the cave where Mana was staying at this time of year, dragging the carcass of the dead animal. Orienting with the smells the humanoid creature found the way home without difficulty.

They went back to the cave and Mana started to prepare the evening meal. Allen curious, carefully watched the creature skinning the body of the animal, cutting the skin with its grabbed claws removing a small piece of raw flesh. The beast seeing that Allen was attentive handed the piece of meat to the boy, who winced at the smell, turning his head to the opposite side.

The beast burst out laughing at the child's reaction. " _Don't you like meat ?_ "

The little boy, understanding the question despite the language barrier, pouted. "No !"

Mana lit a small fire with herbs, then cooked the meat.

Meanwhile, seeing that the boy was bored Mana gave the child his bones and other skulls as toys for waiting.

After a while, the cooked meat ready he cut into cubes for Allen who ate it. Once his belly full, tired of all the events of the day Allen yawned, dozing gently.

The creature lay the child on the shared bed. Catching a fur, he wrapped it around the little boy's body as a blanket. Then he extinguished the fire, ensuring that the embers were going out properly and then going to bed curling around the boy again.

Both went to bed to spend the night warm.

* * *

And so the days passed. The same routine slowly settled between the boy and the beast. Allen now accustomed to the language of the creature began to repeat the words of his adoptive father. Slowly forgetting human language and its origins, the language barrier was less and less of a problem, as the little boy managed to make himself understood by body language.

Mana's first priority was to teach Allen the dangers of the outside world. Still very young, the little boy couldn't defend himself. He needed the permanent presence of Mana at his side for not hurt himself.

And the native understood quickly that young children like Allen had, unlike him, need to eat and drink several times a day. But the creature, eating meat, also needed to feed. Hunting was a dangerous thing and he could not keep the boy with him and hunt for food at the same time. He had to find a solution.

Hide the child.

He taught Allen to stay in a little hiding place for the period of time he was looking for the meal. There were unfortunately a few incidents, the first few times being difficult for Allen to understand that he had to stay hidden where Mana had dropped him. But apart from some scratches, nothing too serious.

But on that day when the weather was a little rainy, the gray clouds spreading across the sky, watering the jungle, everything went differently.

Mana, in search of a meal for him and the child, had hidden Allen in a bush leaving his human with his small bone toy to occupy him.

The beast doesn't come back as quickly as usual. And the time was long for the child who didn't see the beast coming back, getting impatient. Suddenly, he saw a little mouse with a bluish fur that had sprung up from a thicket, attracting his attention. Captivated, he watched the little creature hopping farther away into the jungle. Unconscious of the danger, Allen got up from his hideout trying to follow the animal leaping between the bushes.

Disobeying Mana, he sank deeper into the forest before stumbling into the grass. The mouse, fast, disappeared quickly in the vegetation leaving the little boy alone in the silent jungle.

Suddenly alone, the trees seemed intimidating and dark, the silence of the forest being oppressive for the little boy who hesitated to go further. He turned, trying to find the familiar place where the humanoid creature had deposited him, but he found nothing.

Fearing, he quietly called the name of his guardian, having no idea that these groans could at any time attracted a predator.

A crackle echoed behind him. Before he could react, Allen was knocked down, painfully squeezed by a large clawed paw. Looking up at his aggressor, he was facing another creature like Mana standing above him. But it wasn't his guardian. This creature had shorter, slightly curly black hair tied in a ponytail with what appeared to be a rope. He had a mole under his left eye with a scar running through his chest. The same gray skin ran through his body and golden eyes stared at him darkly.

By fear, he began squirming trying to get away from claws. The creature watched in amusement as the little human struggled in his grip, sneering at his feeble attempts.

The little one having trouble breathing he began to panic, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. The creature's face split into a grim smile, as she drew her sharp teeth to the boy's neck.

At the moment of closing his jaw, the monster was violently pulled back, and struck a blow in the chest, forced to release its prey. He found himself thrown to the ground by Mana groaning loudly, his lips rolled up showing his teeth. The other creature, still sounded, quickly get up angrily, advancing menacingly towards Mana who placed herself and Allen in a protective manner.

Mana launched the first attack, sending a violent scratch to the face of his opponent who dodged skillfully. The other creature retaliated, hitting his stomach before pinning him firmly against a nearby tree. To get away, Mana turned his head and closed his jaws on the left arm of the black-haired beast, tearing the flesh. He screamed in pain before hitting Mana in the face making him let go.

Allen frozen, trembling with fear as he watched the two great creatures fight with apprehension. The two beasts threw themselves on each other, sending powerful punches, grunting and snapping their teeth to try to intimidate the opponent.

After a moment, exhausted, the two creatures separated in retreat.

The black beast got out of reach of a new attack, holding his injured arm against his chest. Mana blew light pain, several scratches and bruises running through his body. They stared at each other for a few minutes, growling and hissing, gauging the opponent.

The other humanoid creature narrowed his eyes and spoke to Mana. " _You ... Traitor ! Why do you save this human ? I saw him first, it's up to me to kill him !_ "

The guardian of the child let out a low growl. " _The child is mine, and you or one of the others will never put a finger on him !_ "

The rival beast's eyes widened in surprise, staring intently at Allen half-hidden behind Mana's imposing form, before giggling. " _And you think you'll be able to protect him from the Earl ?_ " A thrilled thrill Mana has the mention of the 'Earl'.

" _I wonder what he would think if he learned that one of our family members is keeping a human._ " Mana narrowed his eyes but didn't respond to the provocation. A heavy silence followed his words.

The other creature hesitated a moment but continued to speak. " _Come back home ... We can discuss all of this and take care your ... Problem ..._ "

Mana grimaced, his long tail whipping with frustration.

" _As I said ... The child is mine! And I have no reason to come back ... Now leave !_ " He grunted, putting himself in the attack position and moved angrily towards the other creature who backed slightly knowing that he didn't have the advantage with his injured arm.

He took a few steps back, then spoke one last time. " _It's not over ... You know we'll come back !_ " The black beast turned away and disappeared into the dense jungle.

Mana was on his guard for a few more minutes, making sure his rival was gone, then rushed to the crying boy on the floor.

He took him in his arms and checked first that he wasn't hurt. Fortunately, at first sight, there was no real damage. Just a strong emotional shock.

" _Shhhhh, shhhh ..._ " He began to rocked him gently, muttering comforting words. The boy calmed down as soon he gripped Mana's chest. They stayed like that for long minutes trying to reassure themselves in a comforting embrace.

"Mana." Whispered the little boy, his face against the chest of the tallest creature. Mana raised his head surprised that his name was pronounced correctly. Then smiles tenderly, caressing the child's ginger hair, placing his head against the child's one in a gesture of affection.

" _It will soon be dark, let's go home._ "

* * *

 **Hehe I wonder who this new beast might be ... :) Thank you for reading !**


	3. Chapter 3

**And here is chapter three. It took me a long time I wasn't too inspired this week.**

 **Thank again to Elogan , chrisemrys, jy and Ginnomme for their reviews ^^**

 **( And again i'm sorry for my bad english. )**

 **Enjoy ~**

* * *

The weeks had passed since the attack on the black beast, and Allen would soon be celebrating his third birthday. Mana, forty-eight years, was still young. It was a species that could live uncomplicated for up to three hundred years, with the oldest individuals arriving to five hundred years.

They enjoyed long years of youth.

At that time, the summer rainy season was about to end. Winter was coming and Mana was preparing for the migration.

The great migration was an ancient custom of the native species. Mana didn't withstand the cold very well, so it was important to migrate to escape winter and go to a warmer region of the planet at this time of year.

The cave in which he was staying was going to be abandoned until the next trip in six months to return to a territory more abundant in food.

But now Mana had a child to look after. It was a problem.

The trip would take several days. And even if the mere presence of Mana was enough to keep the predators at bay, he would have to hunt to feed them both.

The creature couldn't take care of the child at the same time as he was hunting. And out of the question for him to hide Allen again in a bush. The experience of the last time had left him with a bitter taste in his mouth ...

The appearance of the boy had changed dramatically after two months on this new planet. His slightly longer red hair had begun to cover his eyes, reaching the shoulders. Mana tied them with a little rope, tied around his red locks, repeating to him that it was important to have a neat hair.

The child was making amazing progress in the language of the native. Speaking perfectly some basic words like 'eat', 'flower' or 'stone'.

It was not much, but he was improving , trying to speak with the new words.

Mana still wrapped around the boy who was still sleeping, raised his head. It was colder at this time of the year. A dense fog had risen above the trees hiding the sunlight.

Like every morning now, Mana took a yellow fruit that had kept it as an edible supply for Allen. He cut the fruit, as usual by removing the skin. Then he woke the boy gently, patting his head lightly, offering him some slices of cut fruit.

After lunch it was time to leave. He could not take much with him, the weight would slow them down. But he took a kind of fur backpack to bring some fruit if his child was hungry during the crossing, and stone tools.

Allen's few toys were going to be abandoned in the cave with furs and wooden furniture until next season. It was not too bad, Mana will find something else for him.

Once the affairs had been packed, he took the boy in his arms as usual and went down the cliff of his summer cave the last time of the year.

Once downstairs, he put the child on the ground and opened the step, the child behind as usual. Moving south instinctively, Mana let the little boy follow him for what would be a trip of several days.

Allen was already familiar with this environment, having often had long walks with his adoptive father to teach him how to survive. At his age he didn't understand very well, being distracted by all the little things that could look like a toy. But with time Mana's teaching would serve.

They walked like this for several hours and eventually, Allen tired, was quickly carried by the creature. The boy dozing on his chest Mana rocked him gently, careful not to shake him too much. He made his way between the bushes and the trees, slaloming nimbly between the trunks.

He was on his guard. The crossing was going to be dangerous and he would not forgive himself if Allen was hurt or worse. He shook his head chasing his bad thoughts.

The jungle was denser in this more remote part. The birds were silent at this time of day, the sound of leaves swaying with the wind was the only music in this relaxing and almost silent atmosphere.

But the wind carried something else with him.

Mana sniffed the moist air. A storm was coming. He let out a grunt of frustration. They had no shelter for the night and the storm would slow down their march.

Storms were dangerous in the jungle. Rain infiltrating the ground caused landslides and other muddy swamps that could trap animals. But it was also a blessing. When the rain was falling, it brought a lot of drinking water.

The first drops began to fall and flowed on his smooth skin, he hurried to find a small shelter that he could use immediately to stay dry.

Finding a recess in the stone, he settled in the small cave with Allen still asleep in his arms.

The long body wrapped around the child, protecting him from the cold, the creature relaxed comfortably on the stone floor. Quickly a torrential rain fell on the surrounding vegetation, the first thunderclaps resounding in the sky. Allen woke up, moving into the creature's arms in a more comfortable position. The child looked at the flowing water, carrying pebbles and dead leaves in his path. Then he pointed to the little pond that had formed in front of their cave.

" _Water !_ " Exclaims Allen.

The creature smiled, amused. " _Yes, it's water._ "

Resting in the small cave, Mana let Allen entertain himself by playing with his long dark hair, waiting for him to get tired to put him to bed.

All night, the lightning tore the sky, illuminating for a moment the surrounding darkness. Allen had fallen asleep long ago against the beast. Mana watched the dangerous spectacle unfold before him. The loud rumblings almost vibrate the air, and the ambient humidity tickling his nostrils. Tired, he yawned before lowering his head, placing it on his folded arms, closing his eyes for the night, letting himself fall asleep by the roaring thunder.

The next morning, the storm was over. But residues still remained. The soggy soil made puddles of muddy water reappear.

Once awake, Allen found it fun to jump into the puddles in front of the cave, until quickly soaked from head to toe.

Mana sighed.

He left the small cave, his feet sinking into the cool mud. Then he grabbed the boy, stalling him in his arms.

Keeping Allen with him, the creature finally started looking for something to eat. Unlike the little boy, his diet consisted of meat. He had to find a food source that was easy to access without putting Allen at risk.

Fishing.

The creature could also eat fish. And he didn't need to separate from Allen or put him in a delicate situation.

They made their way to a nearby river, stopping for a drink and cleaning Allen who was still covered in mud.

After bathing, he let Allen watch from the shore as he headed for a deeper part of the river. He waited patiently for a fish to pass by him, striking the water forcefully to use his right hand to grab his prey succefully.

The boy watched with fascination as Mana put the fish between his jaws, swallowing all raw.

"Beuh ..." The red-haired kid escaped, pouting. The creature raised his eyebrows at the boy's disgusted expression before bursting into laughter. " _Hehe, don't be like that. I know you don't like raw meat._ " He gently ruffled Allen's hair. " _Don't worry, you'll have fruit instead._ "

Continuing their journey, they stopped this time in front of a tree with red fruits like pears. He let Allen taste to see if he liked the fruit. Two fruit swallowed later, Mana added this strange fruit to the boy's menu. He picks a few to have enough to feed the child later in the day.

After a few hours of walking, they finally came out of the forest. This one opened on plains very poor in trees but rich in rock formations.

And so continued the journey, the rocky plains changing into canyons where the freezing nights were very harsh. The arid landscapes succeeding each other, Mana managed to find a shelter every night.

That night, Mana stared at the sky with Allen asleep against his chest. The stars were beautiful. The sky dotted with small white lights on a black background offered a fantastic overview, almost unreal. With two red moons accompanying them, poorly illuminating the surface of the planet.

He tightened his soft grip on his child. Putting a kiss on his cheek. Being a dad was difficult. More difficult than he thought. But he loved Allen deeply ... And nothing would separate them.

They were now near their destination. Allen had mostly spent the journey in the arms of Mana, still too young to endure as much as an adult creature.

The beast walked under the sun, the little one on his strong shoulders, stopping to drink near a river. He put Allen on the ground, so he could drink too.

Wiping the mouth of his protégé, Mana's ears rose, feeling a danger. He sniffed the air for a strong smell and the presence of a he turned around, facing a big carnivorous who had sneaked behind them.

The animal resembled a big cat, had protruding teeth and a pink fur. Being almost as big as Mana, the feline rivaled the beast's strength. But he was far less intelligent. The animal growled loudly in a threatening position. He was probably hungry.

Allen, unaware of the danger, was interested in the cat. He tried to get closer to it but was restrained by his adoptive father who slid him behind him to protect him from the predator. This time it wasn't a game.

The guardian of the child, grunted at the big cat, trying to intimidate him by rising to his full height on his two hind legs. Under the roar of anger, the feline didn't retreat. Mana moved forward taking a warning step. The animal responding to the provocation advanced to the beast.

Leaning on his hind legs, the cat jumped without fear of attacking a creature more dangerous than him. Mana blocked him with his forearms pushing him away, sending him into the dust.

But the feline, not discouraged by the failure, returns to attack, jumping again on Mana, claws and fangs outside. Before he could bite him, the humanoid creature raised his left hand and swung a powerful blow hitting his opponent's muzzle. Gripping the side of the animal's nose, he pierced the left eye, which began to bleed profusely, making it blind on one side.

The cat snarl with pain and fell on the floor, disorienting by this new disability. Spitting and hissing, the animal ran away quickly disappearing behind the rocks.  
Allen gaped at the battle, stared admiringly at his adoptive father who had defended him.

Mana, taking his parenting job very seriously, checked to see if the boy had anything, even if the cat hadn't touched him. Having no injuries, the child laughed tapping in his little hands. The relieved creature hugged his long arms around Allen in a hug.

Continuing their journey, they came out of the arid gorges, a forest was in sight.

Mana, recognizing the familiar woods of their final destination, accelerated to arrive faster. Once at the edge of the forest, he entered the undergrowth.

It was a drier forest. The vegetation was less supplied, only a few surrounding bushes and a lot of grass around them. The trees looked more like pines, their dark foliage full of sharp spines.

The beast sniffed the ground trying to find its way through the dry grass.

Still walking for some hours between the trees, he finally found the way to the new cave. A recess in the stone stood above a cliff like the old one. This cavern was slightly lower than the previous one, but still easily out-of-reach for predators. Mana would never choose a cave where carnivores could climb during the night.

The creature began to climb the wall, Allen perched on his shoulders surrounding his little arms around the neck of his guardian not to fall.

When Mana reached the top, he took a first look at their new house.

The cave was dirty.

Unlike the old one, this cave was slightly smaller and especially pitiful because of lack of maintenance ... The dust had accumulated for many months and had wreaked havoc.

The creature placed Allen on the ground, who quickly stood on his little legs to explore the new cave. Mana looked at the old furs he had left behind him since the last time. The furs, now punctured and eaten by insects, were good to throw away. The bones he had used to keep have disappeared or were just dust.

All was to be cleaned.

Only the wooden furniture was still usable, the material having withstood well.

He turned his head to see Allen, having ventured deeper into the cave, playing with an old piece of wood pulling the rotten bark engorged with moisture.

" _Don't touch that Allen, it's dirty..._ " He grabbed the little boy by the hips lifting him up against him. Allen gently protesting that his improvised toy was removed.

" _It looks like we're going to have to clean up and replace some furniture..._ " The creature said, watching the cave in bad shape. There was even water in a corner that had accumulated because of previous thunderstorms.

The boy laughed as if it was all a game. Mana smiled tenderly before stroking the red hair, pulling them away from his gray eyes. Then the creature began working without waiting.

Advancing again into the forest, Mana searched for large pieces of wood that could be turned into planks to make a simple piece of furniture. He picked up several of them and brought them back one by one to the cave, piling them in a pile.

He cleaned up all afternoon, sweating by the effort. Moving the furniture and removing the accumulated dirt, the beast made sure not to make too much noise not to wake Allen, who was taking a nap on the new leaves of tree brought to make a temporary mattress.

The native threw the old useless furniture and blankets gnawed, further into the forest, abandoning them to the animals. Then he took out his stone tools, taking a simple axe and began cutting the wood brought back into the cave. He sorted the usable wood to make planks and sticks too small that would serve as firewood.

Cutting the wood with a know-how that only his species knew, he stacked the wooden planks succeeded one by one to finalize them later. The remaining sticks were turned into cubes and small wooden animals, forming small, simple toys for Allen.

Finishing his creation, he cut the pointed pieces so that the child does not hurt himself while playing. Proud of his work, he contemplated the new little pieces of wood that would serve to entertain the boy.

The hours passed and soon it was almost evening meal time. Allen woke up, and hugged Mana's leg in a hug. Soon the boy asked for food. But the stocks of fruit were exhausted and the meat was missing for the creature.

" _There's nothing left to eat..._ " The beast breathed.

Reflecting on his options, he thought of leaving Allen alone in this new environment. The bushes were too dangerous, but the child could fall from the cave and make a fatal fall for his age.

Taking the safest decision, he put the little boy in the deepest part of the cavern as far as possible from the edge, depositing his little toys to occupy him. No longer having fur to line the floor, the stone was more uncomfortable.

" _Stay here, I'll be back soon._ " He placed a kiss on Allen's forehead leaving him alone in the newly laid out cave.

Without fear, Mana moved away from the house to hunt the meal.

* * *

Being alone in the cave. Allen started playing with his new little wooden toys. Stacking cubes and other hard and roughly cut pieces. He is entertained for a while before a grunt outside the cave is heard.

Someone was climbing up the cliff quickly.

The little boy thinking that his adoptive father had already returned, put down his wooden toys, and called his name happily.

After a moment, an arm finally appeared, gripping the edge of the cave.

Then a second one.

Dark hands clutched at the stone, lifting the body still invisible to the child.

And the head appeared.

A shiver ran through the boy's body. It was not Mana.

The same creature that attacked him a few weeks ago was standing there in front of him. The two piercing golden eyes stared at him, and Mana was not there to protect him. How had this native made to find them in their new cave so quickly?

The creature dragged the rest of her body into the cave, his eyes never letting go of Allen who, frozen with fear, didn't know what to do.

And suddenly with a roar, the black beast advanced quickly toward him, trying to squeeze him against the stone floor. Allen, too young to dodge, was again thrown by the same big hand painfully on the hard surface.

The shock cut his breath and he coughed and gasped, the creature pressing him hard against the stone. Allen instinctively turned his head to bite hard one of his aggressor's long fingers, piercing the skin to attract black blood. The beast let go, letting out a cry of pain, holding his hand firmly.

" _You little ...!_ " Growled the humanoid creature. The little boy tried to get up to get away from the aggressive beast, crawling to hide under the only wooden table in the middle of the cave. But unfortunately, he was easily caught by his pursuer who this time, held him firmly in both hands, one around his little body and the other one in the hair.

" _No more playing._ " Sighs the black beast. He watched Allen wiggle between sharp claws and chuckled.

"Y _ou're lucky, the Earl forbade me to hurt you ... Otherwise you'd be dead, human._ " The black beast tightened his grip on the boy's throat, cutting off his air supply.

The child scratched the hand that was pinning him to the floor, moving to try to free himself from the firm grip. Darkness begins to invade the sides of his vision, his chest convulsing before his little body no longer responds to him, arms falling to the sides due to lack of air. His vision flickered trying to stay conscious, but the constant pressure was too strong.

The last thing he saw was a pair of golden eyes with a maniacal grin on the face of the beast.

Black.

* * *

 **I'm sorry :)**


End file.
